Ben reacted instinctively, pausing the game without even realizing what he was doing. After so many encounters, his mind was attuned to the sense of danger and thus he found himself staring, point-blank, at the sharp and black tip of a long arrow that was about to pierce his left cheek. The arrow was frozen in time, as well as everything else in the trickster scout’s surroundings.

Ben had five precious seconds to take in the situation and think of a way out of his deadly predicament. It seemed that he and his friends were caught totally by surprise: Red’s eyes were wide with alarm but his sword and shield were still lowered; Milenna was turning her head toward Ben, her raven-black hair frozen as it fluttered about her like a black crown. He thought he could see a spark coming out of her staff but he doubted she’d be able to cast any spell that would prevent the arrow from piercing a hole through him.

He looked beyond his companions. Around them, some of the guards were paused in the process of running toward the waystone, while others - the officers? - stayed put with their mouths open in a shout. About half of the soldiers had their weapons drawn.

His eyes kept scanning the garden. The place was alive with color; Ben could see several exotic-looking blue birds frozen in the air between the trees, as well as numerous butterflies in a magnitude of vibrant colors. Then the colors blurred as his perception power triggered, and his eyes were drawn past the first line of the guards, past the huge trees - and focused on a blond woman who knelt on the grass some 60 feet away, holding a longbow and looking straight at him. He couldn’t see much of the woman, other than the obvious fact that she was so scantily clothed she seemed nearly naked - and that she was holding a longbow in her hands. It looked like his Pause The Game! power froze her just after she released an arrow - the same one that was about to pierce his flesh, he was sure - and with his increased eyesight he could see that the string was still quivering.

He had no idea who the woman was, but that wasn’t the most critical issue at that moment. Ben spent nearly two more seconds wondering how the hell he was going to dodge an arrow that was an inch from making contact. For a moment he thought about using his Godlike Power again, his last resource when he was out of tricks -

Tricks. He was a trickster now!

The timer of his Tactics Power clicked zero. Time resumed its course in a rush and the arrow did indeed make contact - but only for a fraction of a second. Ben felt hot pain as the tip of the projectile made a small hole in his cheek, but the wound was so minor he didn’t lose even 1 HP.

The next moment, Ben disappeared. Where his body was, was now a screen of white smoke and, with nothing to stop it, the arrow kept sailing through the smoke - small dots of blood sprayed around it - and hit the white marble of the Waystone, bouncing harmlessly and falling on the grass.

Ben, having used his trickster’s power, reappeared some 30 feet away - using the full extent of his Teleportation range. He made sure to teleport to a spot between two of the huge trees, so he materialised in relative shadows, partially hidden from the company of guards and from the blond woman, who was still looking towards his previous position, where the smoke was starting to disperse. She was squinting now, obviously confused and trying to decide whether her arrow hit her target or not. In a moment, though, the smoke will be gone and she would realize that Ben had escaped her.

The Vindicator of the Depths was not finished with his move, though. Behind him, people were shouting cries of alarm and he heard Red’s familiar angry roar, but he didn’t turn to look at how his friends were faring against this surprise assault. His focus was solely on the blond woman. Studying her up close, he noticed details about her he didn’t see before - how her hair was tied in multiple braids and ribbons; the golden color of her skin; her tattooed face. Two bright red twin cuts were visible on her cheeks, telling a story of a recent battle. Her muscles were nearly as impressive as Red’s.

And he knew her. He had seen her two days ago, sitting around the floating table, right before Raxlon had initiated their Quest. His Identify skill triggered.

Gilly Starborne, Level 5 Race: Human Class: Barbarian. HP: 56 Powers: Rage, Charming, Opportunist, Resilient.

Ben snarled. This player had just tried to kill him! What was wrong with these people? Baring his teeth in anger, he quickly took out his new wand - Night Terror - and drew power from the shadows around him. Surprisingly, the wand grew colder in his hands, even as the shadows he was standing in grew less dark than before. The slight change of colors was enough to alert both the woman - who turned her head toward him - and one of the guards, who stood with axe in hand, securing the gate of the secluded garden.

Ben cursed and released the dark energy in his wand, straight at the woman. The weak shadow bolt crossed the 30 feet in an instant but Gilly was already jumping away, throwing her body backwards to avoid impact and showing impressive agility. The bolt hit the ground where she’d just been. There was a small soundless explosion of darkness around the impact point and the shockwave threw the barbarian woman even further away - her longbow was torn from her grasp - and Ben gained a notification telling him she lost 2 health points.

“You there! Stop where you are!”

Ben turned to look at the axe-wielding guard, who abandoned his post and was now running toward him. His Identify triggered again and the scout was alarmed to see this simple guard was level 7 - nearly as high as he was. Still, the scout didn’t intend to stop. Instead, he tugged the wand into his belt and sprang forward in full speed, toward the barbarian who was still rolling on the grass.

Gilly finished her backward roll and came easily to her feet, drawing her hand-and-a-half longsword in one swift motion. Her exotic face twisted in an angry expression and her slanted brown eyes locked onto Ben’s even as she positioned herself in a fighter’s stance, both hands gripping the hilt of her bastard sword. She was only twenty feet away. “Come get me, Beacon!” She cried in a foreign accent that sounded a bit like French. The way she intoned the last word told volumes of what she really thought of Ben’s new title.

Ben ran, crossing the distance between them in a second and drawing his Dagger of Trickery as he did. He could see Gilly’s mouth twisting in contempt - she clearly didn’t believe he could come close enough to her to hit her with a dagger - but Ben hadn’t been offered the Trickster Class for nought. When he was 10 feet from her - still far enough away from the tip of her sword - the scout jumped.

Gilly raised her sword higher to intercept, but then her eyes widened when she realized that her foe wasn’t going to land on his feet. Using his new Air Steps power, the trickster turned the air beneath his foot solid for a brief second - enough for him to push and jump even higher. Then he used the power again, and again. Gilly raised her blade and tried to turn and reach him, but by the time she realized what was going on, the acrobatic scout was already landing behind her, rolling on the ground. His dagger flashed, lightning-quick, the red ruby in the blade shining brightly.

Critical hit! You hit Gilly Starborne for 12 slashing damage. Successful triggered effect: Disarm.

The effect of his maneuver was staggering. Gilly didn’t manage to defend herself in time and the dagger cut deeply into her exposed thigh, hungrily tearing into her flesh. The woman screamed - more in rage than in pain - she had a respectable number of HP for her level - and whirled on the man, her sword coming down in a deadly arc. It was her barbarian signature move, a fast cleaving blow that was powerful enough to defeat even foes twice her level - but before she could complete it, Gilly felt a jolt passing through her hands and suddenly her sword was flying away, no longer in her grasp.

Wide-eyed, she could only stare at Ben - or rather, at his boot. The scout could kill her right then if he wanted - she was too proud and too surprised and her neck was exposed - but he had a feeling he wanted to hear the story of this treacherous player. So he kicked at her stomach, hard.

Not long ago, the young hero’s kick would have done little to no damage to a stout character such as the barbarian woman. Now, however, with a Strength of 14 and with a skill point in unarmed combat - together with the fact that Gilly was still dumbfounded and looking after her lost sword - the blow was enough to push the woman a few feet backwards. Not nearly enough to knock her down - she was quickly getting her bearings and regaining her balance - but those precious few seconds were enough for Ben, who pulled his magical crossbow from behind his back and used his new Quick Load power to notch a bolt and aim.

By this time Gilly managed to grab her sword from where it fell and was ready to charge at him, but she stopped cold at the sight of the formidable crossbow and the bolt that was aimed right between her eyes.

Ben cocked his head and gave her his best Westley look. “Drop. Your. Sword.”

Gilly looked at him strangely. Obviously, she wasn’t a fan of the classics. Ben opened his mouth to try a different approach but stopped when the guard with the axe arrived at the scene, stopping a few feet away from Gilly. “Drop it, you!” he commanded, looking sternly at Ben.

Ben didn’t answer immediately. He kept the crossbow aimed at Gilly and took half a step to the side, so he could see what was going on by the waystone. Two squads of guards were surrounding Red and Milenna, but they couldn’t reach the duo. Ben’s lips curled in a smile when he noticed the shimmering aura around his companions and recognized it for what it was: Milenn’a shield spell. The sorceress stood proudly with her staff glowing in her hands, looking at the frustrated guards with her most contemptuous glare. Red, looking equally impressive, stood by her with his weapons ready, a manic grin visible behind his dwarven helm.

Ben caught Millena’s eyes. He was too far away to use his Psychic Battle Communication power so instead he just nodded once, approving the smart sorceress’ tactics. The three of them had very low odds facing all of these guards and gaining the upper hand. Besides, Ben had a feeling that this encounter could be solved by other, more sophisticated methods than brute force.

“I said, drop your crossbow,” repeated the guard. Behind him, three more guards came in a run. Two of them were holding crossbows of their own. “You are threatening an honored guest of the Lord.”

Still, Ben didn’t lower his weapon. Gilly, realizing she was now back in control, smirked at him. Ben had to admit she was looking quite fearsome with these red cuts and exotic tattoos - though he found it challenging to look at her face and not down at her bare skin. “You better do what they tell you, Beacon.” That contempt again in her voice. “Lord Viridion’s guards aren’t known for their patience.”

Ben raised his eyebrows. “Is that so? Maybe I should just release this bolt first and land it between your eyes, what do you say? It’s called a Skewering Crossbow, you know. Fancy to see what it does to your face?” He didn’t even have to use his Bluff skill, he was angry enough to mean every word he said.

“Kill me and be killed, is that it?” Gilly said. “Seems like a foolish move to me. Can’t see how you managed to become Beacon - “ she spat - “thinking like that. Guards,” she said, looking sideways at the man with the axe, “would you be so kind as to get rid of this intruder for me?”

The man narrowed his eyes but to Ben’s surprise, he didn’t give his comrades the command to attack. Instead, he looked at Ben with eyes that slowly went wide and cheeks that slightly paled. “It is really you,” he whispered. “With the hawk crossbow, just like in the image…” his voice grew louder and full of awe. “This is he,” he said, and lowered his axe. “The new beacon of Nolxar!”

One by one, the eyes of the men around him widened as they too recognized the man who had appeared in the world prompt only a day before. “The Beacon,” they murmured. “The Vindicator of the Depths! The Beacon!” Their cries reached the soldiers that surrounded Red and Milenna and they too turned to look to see the wonder for themselves.

Ben’s eyes were on Gilly’s, and he could have laughed. After calling him Beacon so many times it was she who alerted the guards to his status and by the disgusted look on her face, she was now realizing her mistake. She took one step towards him and raised her sword - a move that caused the guards to raise their own weapons again, only this time they were turning toward the barbarian and not the scout.

Gilly fumed. “What are you doing!” She demanded. “I am Lord Viridion’s honored guest! And he - “ She seemed to have a sudden inspiration - “he stepped onto your sacred garden without invitation!”

This made the lead guard hesitate. “He did…” He said slowly, and Gilly’s face brightened. “But surely,” the guard continued, “The Beacon must have had a good reason.” He turned to Ben. “If you could just show us your mark, Sir, we could get over this misunderstanding and take you to the Lord.”

Ben wished he could stop time again. Mark? What mark was this guard talking about? He knew he couldn’t show any hesitation, though, so he resorted to bluffing instead. “I have many marks, friend,” he said with a sly smile. “Which one would soothe your mind?”

The man’s low Wisdom score was no match for Ben’s 16 Bluff level. He laughed. “I am sure you do, Sir Beacon,” he said good-heartedly. “A legend such as yourself…” He smiled broadly. “I will just need to see your Hero’s Mark and we can be on our way.”

Hero’s Mark. Ben remembered now. Claiming the Eye of Paragmir had also revealed a new path for him - the path of the hero. The prompt had said something about a mark, but Ben forgot about it and didn’t give the matter any thought. He needed time - and counsel.

The scout smiled back at the guard. “I will show you, but that will mean lowering my weapon and that will put me at a disadvantage… will you first let my friends join us?” He pointed with his chin at the direction of the waystone. “That will surely put my mind at ease.”

“Don’t listen to him,” Gilly said. “He’s trying to trick you - “ She stopped when the guard turned a stony glare her way. Obviously, the barbarian had lost her favor with the guards. If Ben had to guess, she had used her Charming power on them before, but she was overexerting it and it wasn’t working any longer on this NPC - who was two levels above her.

The guard nodded. “Men,” he called out. “Release them. Bring them over here, but keep them under watch.” He clearly wasn’t totally convinced of Ben’s authenticity yet.

The guards moved aside to let Red and Milenna through. The light from the sorceress's staff went out together with the spell and, with Red giving the guards threatening looks and her looking forward straight at Ben, the two made their way across the 90 feet or so that separated the two groups. They walked slowly - too slow, maybe - but what the guards didn’t know was that Ben had managed to establish his telepathic link with Milenna and asked her to take her time. While they approached, the scout accessed his log and quickly read the section that dealt with his new mark.

Mark of the Hero Having discovered the Path of the Hero, you received the Hero’s Mark: the encircled sword. The mark is a symbol of trust between the Hero and the people and as such, in order to show it, the Hero must kneel to those he must protect, and lower his head. As decided by the Heroes of old, showing such vulnerability to the people you swear to protect is the only way to gain their trust - and invoke the full benefits of the Pact. And woe to the one who strikes a Hero who reveals his mark.

By the time Millena and Red came to a stop next to the group, Ben knew what he had to do. Words came to him unbidden, a part of an ancient ceremony. Words he had never spoken before - only he did, in a different time and as a different man. “With my bow, you have my trust. With my mark, I shall have your homage. Let it be as the Pact dictates. Honor bounds us all.”

His words were accepted with solemn faces, a silent crowd and one angry blond Amazon that couldn’t do anything but watch. Ben, realizing the dramatic quality of the moment, slowly lowered his crossbow. He gave the leading guard a long look, then, without even looking at Gilly, he went down to one knee. Smiling to himself at the theatrics of it all, the newly made Hero lowered his head, exposing his neck so all could see the black mark that appeared there: a sword with a circle around its hilt.

There was a tense moment - despite everything, Ben felt ill at ease with presenting his neck like that - but then the guard spoke aloud: “With your bow, you have our trust. With your mark, you have our homage. Let it be as the Pact dictates. Honor bounds us all.”

Ben let out a slow breath as he came back to his feet. Then, with an almost indifferent flip of his arm, he hung his crossbow behind his back and straightened. The guards were all looking at him now with the utmost respect and not a small bit of admiration and Ben felt a sense of hungry power seize him, nearly making him shudder. He wanted to shout, to yell in triumph, to laugh. As he basked in his glory, in the admiring looks of the guards, he felt all but invincible.

Ben looked to Red and Milenna - and blinked. The big warrior was smiling, obviously amused, while Milenna… the sorceress looked at him with that penetrating look she sometimes had, and Ben felt as if someone had splashed cold water on his face. Invincible! What was I thinking? He smiled sheepishly at the beautiful woman, who, in turn, simply raised her delicate eyebrows, as if to say she could expect no better from him.

Ben took a deep breath, feeling in control again. He turned back to the guards and noticed that Gilly didn’t move from her previous position. She was still holding her sword and her eyes were still blazing, but she said nothing as she looked at him. Out of impulse, Ben winked at her. Then, he turned toward the lead guard, the one who had completed the ancient Hero’s Welcome Ritual. “What’s your name, captain?” He knew enough about the Sonadin’s militia to recognize the man’s rank.

The soldier straightened. “Robert, sir.” He was a stout and muscular man, bald, with a small red beard framing his square jaw. “Captain of the Sacred Garden, at your service.”

“Captain Robert,” said Ben and gave a smart nod. “Would you be so kind as to explain to me why my friends and I were attacked? I thought that being invited here by Lord Darkblade himself would grant us certain… privileges. Not to mention not being attacked on sight.”

The guard seemed astonished. He passed his hand on the smooth surface of his head in embarrassment. “A personal invitation from the Lord, Sir Beacon? I - we - I didn’t know! All I knew was what Gilly Starborne had told me. And since she’s the Lord’s honored guest…” He looked disgusted at himself.

Ben frowned. “And what, pray tell, did Gilly Starborne tell you?"

The guard frowned in displeasure. “She said that intruders are going to appear by the waystone,” he said, and turned an angry glare at the barbarian woman. “She said that the Lord had commanded us to either kill or capture these intruders. She said she’d help.”

“I see,” said Ben. “Well, captain Robert, you were obviously misled.” He turned to give a cold look at the barbarian woman. “May I suggest you seize that… impostor before she does any more harm?”

The man gave a curt nod. “Of course, sir. Men, take her - “ He turned toward Gilly, but the woman did not stay put this time. She backed away, keeping the two guards who came for her at sword’s length. Her eyes glazed for a moment, and Ben was sure she accessed her interface for a brief moment. A second later, when her eyes focused again, she gave Ben a hateful glare. “I will go to no stinking prison,” she hissed. The guards surrounded her, and Ben counted four ranged weapons aimed at her heart. In a heartbeat, he decided to change his tactics.

“I will make sure you won’t go to prison,” he said hurriedly. “I just want to know why you tried to kill - “

Gilly smiled unpleasantly. “I will also not owe you any favors, Beacon.” Her eyes glazed again and this time did not go back to focus. “Au revoir, Ben. And good luck with Viridion, he’s the real deal. The most dangerous NPC I have ever met, to be sure.”

Then she disappeared.

The guards cried in dismay and even Ben grew alarmed - did the barbarian possess the Teleportation skill as well? - but then Milenna stepped forward to stand next to him. “She logged out,” explained the sorceress, frowning and shaking her head. “I guess she prefers to lose some XP with a forced log out, rather than be taken by the guards. A foolish move, if I ever saw one.”

Ben grimaced. He didn’t even know there was an option to log out before the DM terminated the session - and he surely didn’t know there was an XP penalty to it. I might be a Beacon, but I’m still a noob, he mused.

“I am sorry for that, Sir Beacon,” said Captain Robert. “That wasn’t supposed to happen…” he sounded truly dismayed and suddenly Ben wondered who truly spoke these words - was it this soldier NPC, or was Raxlon speaking through him and apologizing? Come to think about it, logging prematurely was the equivalent of cheating in a VD scenario like that.

Ben patted the man on the shoulder. “Think nothing of it. I guess even the best can err from time to time.” The man looked at him strangely, but Ben only smiled. And you made more than one mistake already, Raxlon, he thought.

“Hey, skin, would you look at that,” said Red by his side. “Do you think they came here just for us?”

Ben looked to where the Red Mercenary was gesturing. A wide avenue stretched from the garden’s large silver gates, climbing uphill and flanked by tall cypresses. Before, it was empty. Now, there were twenty soldiers in black uniforms, walking in an orderly fashion toward the Sacred Garden of the Three Trees.

“Ah, the palace guards,” said Captain Robert. He sounded relieved. “You are getting a personal escort to see the Lord of Sonadin, sir Beacon.”

As Ben watched the guards approaching, he couldn’t help thinking of Gilly’s departing words. The most dangerous NPC I have ever met, to be sure. His eyes narrowed and he felt a smile creep up his face. This time, he did shudder. Bring it on, bitches.